Gabrielle Union Opens Up About Surviving Rape And Struggling With PTSD

Gabrielle Union shared a moving post to Instagram on Tuesday (June 7th), opening up about her ongoing struggles as a rape survivor. The Bring It On actress shared a video of herself on the red carpet at the 2022 Met Gala and detailed what it is like to live with post-traumatic stress disorder.

“As a rape survivor, I have battled PTSD for 30 years. Living with anxiety and panic attacks all these years has never been easy,” she wrote.

Union continued, “There’s times the anxiety is so bad it shrinks my life. Leaving the house or making a left hand turn at an uncontrolled light can fill me with terror. Anxiety can turn my anticipation about a party or fun event I’ve been excited about attending (Met Ball) into pure agony.”

The Cheaper by the Dozen star wanted other survivors to know they aren’t alone. “When we tell y’all what we are experiencing, please believe us the 1st time we mention it. No, it’s not like being nervous and everyone experiences and deals with anxiety differently, and that’s OK. I don’t need you to try to ‘fix’ me. I share this as I hope everyone living with anxiety knows they aren’t alone or ‘being extra.’ I see you, I FEEL you and there is so much love for you. Always,” she added.